How to Deliver a TED Talk: Secrets of the World's Most Inspiring Presentations, revised and expanded new edition, with a foreword by Richard St. John

CHAPTER 21

Being Introduced Effectively

TIP 107: Write a one- to two-minute introduction for your emcee that connects to your core message.

Unfortunately, TED videos do not show the manner in which speakers are introduced. There is also not much in the way of information on the “TED way” for speaker introductions in the public domain. Though a bad introduction will probably not sink a great talk, a great introduction of no longer than a minute or two has the ability to provide a powerful launch into your speech.

One of the most viewed TED speakers is Hans Rosling, who manages to vibrantly bring life to otherwise dull reams of public health data. His core message is that we can join together to raise global health standards by freely sharing public ...